


i have my ways

by psychiatrist_returning



Category: The West Wing
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-06
Updated: 2021-01-06
Packaged: 2021-03-17 03:28:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 987
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28593273
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/psychiatrist_returning/pseuds/psychiatrist_returning
Summary: You tell Josh something big, and hope he doesn’t hate you.
Relationships: Josh Lyman/Reader
Kudos: 2





	i have my ways

**Author's Note:**

> from my tumblr, psychiatristreturning

Josh liked you. You were smart, funny, and beautiful. And after six dates with him, you were ready to tell him a big part of yourself you had left out. That part was that if he brought you into his life he would also be bringing your daughter, Theda, in as well. The three year-old born of an abusive relationship was your pride and joy, but you had no luck in the dating game due to her. But with Josh, it was different, you liked him and was ready to tell him about Theda.

On this night, Josh noticed something was up. You were nervous and quiet, he thought he had done something wrong. Which knowing Josh, he probably did at some point. But Josh felt bad, he reached his hand across the table, “Are you alright?” he realized how incredibly serious he sounded, “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” he laughed uncomfortably.

Your head whipped around to look at Josh, “No! I’m all good.” you gave a shaky (and unconvincing) thumbs up. You knew he had caught on that something was happening, Josh wasn’t an idiot. I mean, surely he was sometimes, but overall, not an idiot.

The rest of the dinner was filled with amiable small talk. And when it came time to leave you asked Josh to walk through the park across the street from the restaurant.

“Ya know Josh, I really, really, like you,” You smiled softly, looking at his sweet face. “But, there is something you need- and deserve to know!”

His eyebrows raised, “What? You own 50 cats or something?” Josh was amused at your serious tone, “You’re secretly an extreme skydiver?”

He kept rattling of obscure jobs, and weird hobbies, such as; paper towel collector, secret royal, a spy, and other things only Josh could think of off the top of his head.

But you cut him off exclaiming, “I have a daughter!” you threw your hands up in the air and hand shook your head. Your head was going a million miles per hour as you look at Josh, whose eyes had gone wide and seemed to be not able to process your outburst. “Josh..” you whispered, “I’m sorry,” you looked down and walked away picking up your pace, and practically running home, tears cascading down your face.

He watched you run, not able to move, he wasn’t upset, just surprised, but he knew his silence had scared her off. Josh felt horrible, so he pulled his phone out of his pocket and called Donna, the only person he knew would listen to everything he had to say.

When you arrived at your town house, your babysitter on the couch with Theda. You looked at the clock in your kitchen and tried to make it look like you weren’t crying. “Hi baby! Why aren’t you asleep yet?”

Your babysitter smiled sadly, “She wouldn’t go to sleep without you being home. I’m sorry, I tried everything.”

“It’s alright.” you handed her money for the night, “Thank you,” You picked up your daughter who was already in her pajama’s, “Can you go to bed now?”

“Nope! I’m happy now.” you sighed, “Mama, why are you sad?” she put her chubby hands on your cheeks.

“You wouldn’t understand, hon.”

“Tell me! Tell me!”

“I’ll tell you if you go to bed.”

“Okay!” She brushed her teeth and hair and got under the cozy blankets, “Tell me mommy.”

“Well, I like this person, and he likes me, and I think that what I told him, made him not like me.”

“Oh. Why wouldn’t they like you?”

Your tears began to trickle again, “It’s an adult thing.”

“Well, good night mama.”

You kissed her forehead, “I love you baby, sleep tight.”

As you closed the door to her room you heard a quiet knock on the front door. Like the person almost didn’t want to be heard. You opened the door and saw a sad looking Deputy Chief of Staff. You let him speak knowing just by the look on his face that he regretted what he did.

“y/n, I’m sorry,” you crossed your arms, “I should’ve said something. So, what I’m going to say now is that I don’t care, I mean, I do care, see that’s exactly what Donna told me I shouldnt ’say.” you laughed, “I do care, about you and about your daughter, and god- I really like you! You’re wonderful, and your funny, and smart, and I want you to be in my life! And if you being in my life means having your daughter in my life then so be it!”

This time you were crying tears of joy when you leaned over and kissed Josh, a kiss that was soon interrupted by a small, and tired voice, saying, “Mama..” you pulled away from Josh and turned around to look at your daughter who was standing in the hallway rubbing her eyes.

“Hi baby, were we talking to loud?”

“Yeah.”

Josh swooped in and said “Well, I’m sorry I was just trying to talk to your mom.” Theda looked surprised to see a person there, he kneeled down to her level, “I’m Josh, it’s nice to meet you.”

She ran behind your legs, “She’s really shy,” you laughed, “This is my daughter, Theda.”

Josh stood up, “That’s a very pretty name,” he smiled at her.

You patted her back, “Alright, go back to bed,”

She ran down the hallway waving back to you and Josh. “She’s very sweet.”

“That she is. She’s three by the way, and before you ask her dad abused me and I got away while pregnant with her. You should know that, you deserve to know that.”

He turned and hugged you, “Thank you.”

You buried your head in his neck, “Quick question: how do you know where I live?”

He pulled away from the hug and shrugged, “I have my ways.”


End file.
